Funnyman Kevin James turns MMA fighter in 'Boom'

Comedian Kevin James has made a name for himself in Hollywood playing goofy, affable everymen. His gift for physical comedy and willingness to make a fool of himself have transformed James from the star of working-class network sitcom "King of Queens" into a box-office powerhouse on par with the likes of Adam Sandler.

But for his latest film, "Here Comes the Boom," which he co-wrote and co-produced and opens Friday, Oct. 12, James stepped outside his comfort zone -- far outside -- to transform himself into a mixed-martial-arts fighter.

Yes, we're still talking about the same Kevin James, the portly fellow who plays such characters as zookeepers and mall cops. James talked recently about his tortuous 14-month physical transformation, working with co-stars Henry Winkler and Salma Hayek, and his love for MMA and its fighters.

Question: So, you look great in the movie.

Answer: Yeah, that since has ended. That was shot a year and a half ago, but I'm vowing to get back into that shape. It was hard work, but I was glad I did it.

Q: How long did it take to get ready for the role, and what did a typical training day look like for you?

A: It was about 14 months. ... I had greens in the morning; these big shakes, they were horrible. Then we would go for a run, like 4, 5, 6 miles. ... Then we'd start with Thai boxing and working on hitting the mitts, and training technique, and then doing a little jujitsu, and then later on we'd spar with these pros. It was the only way to start getting me better in such a short amount of time.

Q: Was it at all fun, or was the process as miserable as it sounds?

A: I enjoyed the workouts, but some of it was miserable. When they were eating whatever they wanted and I had to eat these, you know, green salads and nothing but that, it was a little brutal. And also, getting punched in the face!

Q: I was surprised by how much of the actual fighting it looked like you were doing. Was there any camera trickery going on, or was that really all you?

A: No, there was no camera trickery. In fact, I was like, "Is there a way to do camera trickery in these things?" and they were like, "No, you really have to do that."

Q: Did you get hurt?

A: Mostly my pride. I got punched in the face, there were a couple cuts and bruises.

Q: Did you have any kind of blow-out dinner celebration when you were done and off the greens?

A: We had a huge Italian dinner at (Muay Thai kickboxer) Mark DellaGrotte's house, and it was fantastic. I went crazy.

Q: Were you a fan of MMA before you started making the movie?

A: Oh yeah. From 1993, when I saw the first UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship), then I became a fan mostly of the fighters and seeing what kind of great people they actually are. I viewed them as everybody else did in the beginning as these gladiator guys ... but they're actually great people with families, and finding out what inspired them to fight was really exciting. That's why I wanted to make the movie.

Q: How involved was the UFC in preserving their brand?

A: Extremely. They've never given their name out to any other movie. They're very stingy ... very close to the vest with that, they don't hand it out to just anybody. And they were reluctant in the beginning to even give it to me, but they knew I was such a fan. I promised them I'm not going to make a mockery of this. I wanted to show it in its real light and what it's about and humanize it for people so they can see what these guys go through and what they're like. They gave me their blessing. Once we showed them the movie, they were really excited about it and how realistic it was going to be. They didn't want it to look like any schlub can walk off the street and compete at the level of the UFC.

Q: There are a lot of actual MMA stars in the movie. How was it transitioning them from the ring to the big screen? Bas Rutten looked like he was having an especially good time -- was he a natural?

A: I've known him for over 15 years now, he's trained with me before, and I've always said this is a guy who should retire from fighting and become an actor. He's just so funny, he gets it, he's a natural, and he's just a very unique personality that I've never seen before. This movie -- I think he's just going to explode from it.

Q: He was entertaining. And this is weird to say, but Henry Winkler was adorable.

A: Wasn't he? That's what we needed. Henry needed to be that guy because he's the hinge of why I do all this. If you're not instantly rooting for Henry ... the movie doesn't work. But it works because Henry is so adorable.

Q: How did you land such a beautiful female lead in Salma Hayek?

A: I've known Salma for many years, and we've worked together quite a few times. ... We just get along, have the same sensibility in comedy, she's sweet, our families get along, and she's just so great and funny and smart. ... She wanted to do (the film), and I wanted her to, but I knew right away -- this is the challenge I get when I'm casting these beautiful women. My first response is, "No one's gonna believe this ... so we have to ugly her up." We tried and tried and tried, you just can't do it.

Q: How long have you had the idea for this film?

A: Ever since I started loving the sport. I started thinking I would love to one day make a turn and do something a little bit different than I'm used to doing and surprise people. And it's not all about fighting, this movie. It's about teaching, it's about sticking up for other people.

Q: There's a lot of focus in the movie on the importance of the arts, especially music. Is that something you feel passionately about?

A: Absolutely. I was never into music when I was in school. I didn't play an instrument, but I knew people who did and how important it is to them. ... And I realize how important music is to me to this very day, it's important to all of us. You can hear a certain song and it takes you back to a very specific moment in your past. It can connect you to things, it can inspire you, it can intimidate your opponent -- that's how they use it in the UFC. ... So that was a very important part of it. And I've had some great teachers in my past, too. Following their principles to this day, 30 years later, it just shows that a good teacher can really shape you in a great way, and a bad one can do the opposite.